Are the govt’s green clearances a farce?
Source: Livemint
Many projects could have been approved based on inaccurate environmental impact assessment reports.
“The reports are apologies even on the paper they are written on. These reports are mostly written at a very junior level. For instance, statistics are extremely debatable. Information on the 10th page will not tally with the 12th page and so on,” admitted another member of one of the expert groups set up by the environment ministry, who also did not wish to be identified. “More often than not, such consultants hardly visit the sites.”
Most major projects in India—refineries, mining, thermal power and hydroelectric power—have to submit a comprehensive EIA after a survey and a comprehensive investigation of the project site, including repercussions on the environment and displacement of local people.
Under the Environmental Protection Act, 1986, the EIA then has to be cleared by an expert appraisal committee before a project can get under way. There are separate committees on hydroelectric projects, thermal projects, infrastructure, coal mining, non-coal mining, nuclear and industrial projects, set up by the Central ministry.
